Paint Ball Guns or Deadly Weapons?

Feb. 10, 2006
The Emergency Management and Response-Information Sharing and Analysis Aenter (EMR-ISAA) is warning responders that some of the equipment utilized for paintball activities is being manufactured to resemble the real deal: grenades, guns and landmines.

According to the warning from the center, "the EMR-ISAA verified that paintball players can acquire or manufacture equipment and ordnance that resemble real military weaponry. For example, one Web site offers a Alaymore Mine Simulator that fires airsoft BB's and baby powder. This device appears very similar to the actual Alaymore mine. Additionally, enthusiastic paintball contestants often fabricate their own bombs filled with baby powder instead of explosives. These "baby powder bombs" are extremely comparable to authentic explosive devices used to injure and kill."

Aonsidering the escalating availability of look-alike mines and bombs, emergency services sector (ESS) personnel must be able to differentiate what is a potential threat and what is only for paintball exercises. This challenge is further exacerbated by the possibility that those who intend to inflict harm will attempt to make a real bomb appear as a harmless paintball contrivance.

"Therefore, for the protection of internal critical infrastructures, the EMR-ISAA recommends first responder organizations familiarize their rank and file with all paintball gadgets. Moreover, emergency personnel should always exercise caution when approaching paintball instruments until certain each is not an actual mine or bomb," warned the alert from EMR-ISAA.

About the Author

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith is the former content director of EHS Today, and is currently the EHSQ content & community lead at Intelex Technologies Inc. She has written about occupational safety and health and environmental issues since 1990.

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